With the presidential race at a standstill, we're stuck, anxiously awaiting the Pennsylvania primary and the May 6 races to see if we come away with a clear nominee. As it increasingly looks like this race could go all the way to convention, Wisconsin could feel the effects in some unexpected ways.
Last week, Lt. Governor Barbara Lawton (full disclosure: I'm an intern in Lawton's office) said she will run for governor if Gov. Jim Doyle decides not to seek a third term.
When asked if I would consider running I said 'yes' because I see tremendous potential for the state of Wisconsin from my front-row seat,"" Lawton told The Daily Cardinal.
Although both Lawton and Doyle say they are not really thinking about it yet, they do both have campaigns set up just in case. As Lawton told the Associated Press, if Doyle decides not to run, she ""can't be caught flat-footed.""
So what does this have to do with the presidential race? It has been widely speculated that if Barack Obama - who Doyle strongly supported in Wisconsin's primary - wins the nomination, Doyle could receive some type of federal appointment, possibly even as attorney general.
If this happens, Lawton would take over as governor and instantly become the favorite in 2010. This is just one of many possibilities for the 2010 gubernatorial race, however.
If Obama does not win, or if Doyle does not receive a federal appointment, he could very well decide not to run again. By 2010 he'll be 65 years old, and after a long career in public service, he may decide to call it quits.
That would leave Lawton as the frontrunner in the Democratic primary, but according to Kirsten Kukowski, communications director for the Republican Party of Wisconsin, this might not be the case.
""Lawton would have a hard time in her own primary, so we are not really worried about it at all,"" Kukowski told The Daily Cardinal.
Of course, many Republicans also believe the Earth is 6,000 years old and cutting taxes during a war can actually stimulate the economy, so we'll have to take that with a grain of salt. Furthermore, U.S. Rep. Ron Kind , D-Wis, was once considered Lawton's rival for the next gubernatorial race, but it now looks like he'll vie for Sen. Herb Kohl's seat in 2012 instead, leaving the path clear for a Lawton nomination.
It's ironic to see that an Obama victory (Lawton endorsed Hillary Clinton) could actually work in her favor. If she does become governor for the period of time before the democratic primary in 2010, Lawton gains a huge advantage and probably won't have to worry about a challenge.
If the 2008 race goes as expected, Democrats will likely regain the Assembly, which leaves Doyle - or Lawton - with a friendly state Legislature for the next few years. That means no budget stalemates and partisan bickering like we saw last year. A relatively peaceful year of governing, which would include some great legislative accomplishments, leaves Lawton with a great record to run on in 2010 and the advantage in the general election.
By all accounts, Lawton would make an excellent governor. Of course, I'm obviously biased, but as the Capital Times wrote in their endorsement before the 2006 election, ""Lawton has been the boldest and most active lieutenant governor in state history."" The paper even said it did not mention Lawton in their Doyle endorsement because, ""We wanted to save the best for last.""
On two of the most important issues we'll face in the coming years - climate change and clean energy - Lawton has taken charge. As the Vice-Chair of the National Lieutenant Governor's Association, Lawton authored the Energy Independence and Climate Protection Resolution last August and the Great Lakes Preservation Resolution this March.
She's also been a strong supporter of Doyle's Clean Energy Wisconsin plan, which looks to reduce our dependence on foreign oil by increasing Wisconsin's renewable energy market share. As governor, Lawton would continue to look toward the future and finally bring Wisconsin's economy into the 21st century.
Like I said, I may be a bit biased, but I cannot think of a better ending for this year's presidential race than Obama in the White House and Lawton as our governor.
Erik Opsal is a senior majoring in journalism and political science. Please send responses to opinion@dailycardinal.com.
